Nut for guitars



Jan. 26 1926.

J. A. HATTIE NUT FOR GUI TARS Fled Feb. s, 1925 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

JAMES A. HATTIE, OF EWA, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

NUT FOR GUITARS.

Application led February 3, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HA'i'rin, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Ewa, in the Territory of HawaiiJ have invented new and useful Improve-- viding a means which permits the playing of the guitar as an accompanying instrument and likewise playing the saine as a steel guitar.

A further object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity of slackening all of the strings on a guitar for the purpose of introducing a higher nut as is now the oustoin when a person desires to switch from the ordinary tuning to the tuning for steel guitar playing.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects which will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, reference is to be had to the drawing which accompanies and which forms part of this application.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view showing a portion of the neck and head of a guitar provided with the improvement.

Figure 2 is an approximately central vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough, the dotted lines showing the rest in raised position.

Figure 3 iS a transverse sectional view through the improvement.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of they mov able rest member'.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the screw with the follower blocks thereon.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the hollow base member.

As disclosed by the drawings, my coinbination guitar nut includes a hollow base 1 open only at its top. The ends of the hollow base 1 are provided with aligning iion-threaded openings that receive therethrough and provide guides for a screw 2. On one end of the screw there is an operating head 3, and on the other end of the Serial No. 616,789.

screw there may be secured a cap 4 that prevents the sliding of the screw through the openings in .the body therefor. In the body there is a pair of spaced blocks 5 having threaded openings therethrough engaged by the screw, and the upper or outer faces of these blocks are beveled, as at 6. The blocks are in the nature of follower iiiembers as the same will be moved longitudinally in the hollow base upon the turning of the screw 2. The blocks are held from lateral movement by contacting engagement with the sides and with the bottom of the hollow base element 1.

The movable member or string rest of the nut is indicated by the numeral 7 the same having its outer face rounded and notched for the reception of the strings of the guitar. The rest 7 has flanged sides 8 received through the top of the hollow base, and the said sides have their lower edges cut to provide spaced inclined surfaces 9 and 10 respectively designed for contacting engagement with the inclined faces of the follower blocks 5. The sides, at the terminal of the beveled surfaces 10 are straight, as at 11, the inner wall between the said sides 11 being rounded, as at 12, and the said portions 11 s'traddling the screw and form stops for the movement of one of the blocks 5 longitudinally in the body. By turning in one direction the follower blocks 5 are caused to move longitudinally on the screw, the beveled faces thereof riding under the beveled portions 9 and 10 of the movable member 7 of the bridge causes the same to be moved to a raised position. By turning the screw in an opposite direction the membei* 7 and the strings supported thereon will be lowered. Thus, it will he seen that the improvement provides for the playing of the guitar as an accompanying instrument as well as the playing thereof as a steel guitar.

When the strings are raised for playing the instrument as a steel guitar` sutiicient clearance is afforded for the steel bar used for this purpose so that the saine will slide up and down the strings without coming in contact with the ends of the frets. It will be noted that the iise of the string rest of the nut is slow and gradual which avoids breaking the strings which are already in tense condition. It is to be understood that the device may be Aconstructed of any desired material and that the sizes thereof may be altered to conform with the size of the neck of the various makes of guitars at the point where the bridge is naturally used.

It is also to be understood that this device is designed for use on instruments, other than a. guitar, as a nut to lower or raise the strings of said instruments to decrease or increase the tension of the strings to satisfy the individual touch.

Having described the invention, I claim l. A nut for stringed instruments comprising a hollow base, a channeled string rest in the base having the edges of its sides formed with spaced inclined walls, follower members in the base on which the inclined walls rest, and revoluble means operated at one end of the base and engaging with the follower members for moving the same longitudinally in the base and by virtue of such movement to raise or permit the lowering of the string rest on the base.

2. A. nut for stringed instruments including a hollow base and a channeled string rest designed to be received in the base to Contact with the side and end walls thereof, the sides of said channeled member having their sides stepped and the lower walls provided by the steps arranged at the same angle, a headed screw finding bearings in the ends of the base and received centrally between the side walls of the rest member, follower blocks in the base having upper inclined surfaces to engage with the inclined stepped portions of the rest and having threaded openings engaged by the screw for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

JAMES A. HATTIE. 

